"Starting today (Aug. 3), Starbucks begins rolling out Ethos bottled water in its 5,000 U.S. stores. The company plans to donate $10 million over the next five years for clean-water sources in poor countries. It will donate 5 cents for every bottle of Ethos sold."

Sadly, if people donated $10.00 in this country to clean water constructions around the world, there would no longer be a need for clean water.

So the question becomes:
Why do you buy bottled water? (Note: bottled water is not the same as mineral water, so don't get pissed at me if you want mineral water.)

Because they run it through carbon filters, making it taste better, and I don't want to buy my own filtration system. The water is of a higher quality than tap water, and it's cheap.

My uncle has a water cooler and filtration system, and he says it ends up being a lot cheaper just filtering the tap water yourself, and it results in the same quality, so we're considering doing something like that.

At 8/24/05 12:21 PM, Elfer wrote: Because they run it through carbon filters, making it taste better, and I don't want to buy my own filtration system. The water is of a higher quality than tap water, and it's cheap.

I guarantuee you you couldnt taste the difference between water from a hose than water from a geyser or whatever. If you could, well, that would be impressive.

The only reason I ever drink it is I dont like ice but I like cold water or its more convinent.

Pure water has absolutely no taste at all. H2O is characterized as being clear, odorless, and tasteless. If you like the taste of your water, you are actually saying that you prefer the taste of whatever substances are also in the water.

There are some places that have nasty water, Orlando comes to mind. I live in Austin which has very good water, thus, all I do is put tap water in the fridge. I can understand people getting bottled water if they live in an area where their water tastes like chlorine.

At 8/24/05 12:45 PM, Gunter45 wrote: There are some places that have nasty water, Orlando comes to mind. I live in Austin which has very good water, thus, all I do is put tap water in the fridge. I can understand people getting bottled water if they live in an area where their water tastes like chlorine.

Or California where their water tastes like mud.

At 8/24/05 01:47 PM, Camarohusky wrote: Or California where their water tastes like mud.

Tasted fine to me. It was always just warm as hell.

Bottled water with a drop of dechlorinator is great for hermit-crab enthusiasts (myself) but pretty pointless for a good portion of Americans. Personally I think that by taking in small ammounts of toxins, carcinogens, and other pollutants it boosts the old immune system. My theory may be a pipedream, but I rarely get sick.

for crying out loud, just drink the bloody tap water.

Or just drink water from home if you have it.

actually bottled water is mostly basic tap water. youre just getting ripped off. the jokes on you.

tap water is toxic. it contains chlorine and flouride.

At 8/24/05 12:29 PM, FAB0L0US wrote: I guarantuee you you couldnt taste the difference between water from a hose than water from a geyser or whatever. If you could, well, that would be impressive.

It's not the source, it's how it's filtered. Bottled water is generally just really well filtered tap water.

And yes, I can tell the difference in taste between tap water and bottled water. As I say though, people get the water of the same quality by buying fancy carbon filtration systems for their house and running the tap water through it.

Bottled water contains higher levels of bacteria than tap water.

In the U.S., at least. Look it up.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNANYEVENT....

I'll drink bottled, tap, filtered, non, etc... I don't care. I'm not going to go thirsty over ethics.

I drink bottled water sometimes. If you buy it on a bottle-to-bottle basis you're definitely getting ripped off. You can get large trays of certain brands (and I'm not particular) from Wal-Mart or Costco for really cheap. I don't care where it comes from, or if it is just cleaned tap water, because that doesn't matter to me.

Tap water? Yeah that's always an option, and I do drink tap water.. but sometimes it doesn't taste good. Algae and whatnot grows in the lake that provides the water and gives it an unusual taste and smell. It's not repulsive, but it's not appealing either. Cheap bottled water becomes a viable alternative at that point and is still cheaper than most non-water alternatives.

At 8/24/05 02:43 PM, ShotInTheHead wrote: actually bottled water is mostly basic tap water. youre just getting ripped off. the jokes on you.

tap water is toxic. it contains chlorine and flouride.

ive been drinking it for years and i can safely say that i am feeling no after effects. ppl who plug bottled water because theyre afraid of tap water really get on my nerves. fine if you want to drink bottled water, fine, but don't start boasting because you think youll live forever

I saw something on 60 minutes (I think) where they took water from a drinking fountain in Harlem, water from a hose, water from a tap, and water from 3 different companies, and did a taste test with people who claimed to drink bottled water as a preference.

By the end of the taste test, there was barely any difference between any of the different kinds of water and preference, and these were people who claimed to be very fond of bottled water, sometimes to the point where they refused to drink tapped water (fucking losers).

They also did laboratory tests on the different kinds of water, and found no real significant difference in how healthy each kind of water was. So, if you drink bottled because you think it's better for you, you've only become yet another chump to marketing and corporate propaganda.

That being said, I do buy bottled water occasionally. If there seems to be no water around aside from a bottled water machine, I'm not going to be a dumbass and refuse to pay a buck (or sometimes 2) if I'm dehydrated. I also buy a bottle of water every month or so. I drink the bottle, clean it, and refill it with tapped water until the bottle begins to look worn down, than buy another one.

I live 200 miles away from any civilazation and wells only last so long. If it wasn't for bottled water my family would be long dead.

At 8/24/05 03:03 PM, bendontjump wrote: I drink bottled water sometimes. If you buy it on a bottle-to-bottle basis you're definitely getting ripped off. You can get large trays of certain brands (and I'm not particular) from Wal-Mart or Costco for really cheap.

That's true. That's the only way I ever buy bottled water, because single bottle prices are ridiculous.

The bottled water companies are trying to tell you that bottled water is cleaner, that it comes from a "pure source." This is the only way they could get people to pay $1.50 for water. I can understand if you're not at home and that's the only source you've got, but to go out of your way to find it really does seem pointless. And like that dude said earlier, I've read in magazines, and the differences are pretty slim between tap and bottled. Half the time bottled water is tap water that's been "specially treated" which means its put in a bottle. And if you're tap water tastes horrible, try one of those filters you can buy. Those work great. If you still think bottled water is better, pay a buck fifty for a 5 cents worth of water. Your loss.

I havn't drank water in its normal form since July of 2000, but I do know there is a big difference in taste between water out of a bottle, and water out of the tap in many areas. Also water in certain areas tastes better than otther areas. Camp Pendleton comes to mind with this, the water was absolutely nasty, which is when I stopped drinking it. Memphis's water was pretty good, 29 Palms water wasn't horrible, but that might have been the whole 115 degrees outside thing. But as others said, bottled water is cheap, more pure than tap water usually, and its convient.

The person who first marketed it is a pure genious.

At 8/24/05 03:54 PM, ReiperX wrote: But as others said, bottled water is cheap, more pure than tap water usually, and its convient.

A) It's more expensive than gas (???)
B) Most bottled water comes from tap water, only it has been purified through yet another system (which can be bought at stores for home use)
C) Depends on what you mean by convenient. Personally, I think tap water is more convenient and readily available, but I suppose it depends on where you live (as was mentioned before)

It all depends on whether or not your willing to spend the cash or do the work. Most people are just lazy, so they buy the bottle.

The person who first marketed it is a pure genious.

Can't disagree with that statement. Gotta love the French.

At 8/24/05 04:03 PM, night_watch_man18 wrote: B) Most bottled water comes from tap water, only it has been purified through yet another system (which can be bought at stores for home use)

Yeah, but there's a large initial investment, they require maintenance, you need a water cooler, and you have to go to a specialty store to get one.

But on the other hand, it does end up being cheaper per litre to filter it yourself.

At 8/24/05 04:03 PM, night_watch_man18 wrote:

At 8/24/05 03:54 PM, ReiperX wrote: But as others said, bottled water is cheap, more pure than tap water usually, and its convient.

A) It's more expensive than gas (???)

Paying 50 cents for a half liter isn't all that expensive if you want to buy it. But like I said, I don't buy it, I don't drink water.

B) Most bottled water comes from tap water, only it has been purified through yet another system (which can be bought at stores for home use)

I know, their filtration systems are more along the lines of my filtration system at my house though, more than just a carbon filter which is what most stores will carry.

C) Depends on what you mean by convenient. Personally, I think tap water is more convenient and readily available, but I suppose it depends on where you live (as was mentioned before)

As far as being at work, getting a bottled water, or being on a long trip, getting a bottled water. Plus my wife doesnt' have to worry about spilling it or anything.

It all depends on whether or not your willing to spend the cash or do the work. Most people are just lazy, so they buy the bottle.

Yup.

The person who first marketed it is a pure genious.

Can't disagree with that statement. Gotta love the French.

At 8/24/05 12:45 PM, Gunter45 wrote: Pure water has absolutely no taste at all. H2O is characterized as being clear, odorless, and tasteless. If you like the taste of your water, you are actually saying that you prefer the taste of whatever substances are also in the water.

That's the thing, when water has crap in it, it tastes worse. Bottled water orwater run through a home filtration system has less crap in it, and tastes better.

Unless you're talking about Dasani water, which has salts and such added, and tastes like GARBAGE.

I drink tap water all the time and it tastes fine..

At 8/24/05 05:15 PM, Buckdich wrote: I drink tap water all the time and it tastes fine..

exactly! and so far:

good health 1
tentacles 0

If you want pure, fresh water, buy distilled water. Simple as that. There's nothing dissolved in it, because it's been taken out of solution.

At 8/24/05 05:35 PM, -Illustrious- wrote: If you want pure, fresh water, buy distilled water. Simple as that. There's nothing dissolved in it, because it's been taken out of solution.

Its not very good for you though, I think I remember learning.

At 8/24/05 06:34 PM, FAB0L0US wrote:

At 8/24/05 05:35 PM, -Illustrious- wrote: If you want pure, fresh water, buy distilled water. Simple as that. There's nothing dissolved in it, because it's been taken out of solution.

Its not very good for you though, I think I remember learning.

Yes you are correct large amount of pure distill,ed water dangerously increases osmosis in the blood. (the process of cells taking in water through the skin)

Because it has such concentrated amounts of pure water. Certain blood cells can take in too much water and....... BOOM! Burst into plasma.

Water must have something in it for it to be truly good for you. I know it's wierd.

some places have bad tasting water. cheap filters wont help too much

At 8/24/05 06:54 PM, Audio_Don wrote: some places have bad tasting water. cheap filters wont help too much

yeh thats true. theres two types of water in the UK: hard and soft. down south (soft, how ironic) they tend to filter it more and buy more bottled. while up north (hard, again ironic) we all drink our tap water

i think if the natural waters nasty, you should probably go bottled